Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and Sports, Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, unveiled the campaign at a presentation lunch for 100 WTM attendees.

The 1 November, 2017 to 1 January, 2019, the “Amazing Thailand Tourism Year 2018” officially launched 1 November and covers mainly special events and festivals.

Thailand’s travel industry is struggling to establish a more sustainable business model for tourism that will achieve a balance between growing the economy and safeguarding culture and the environment.

With the prospects of welcoming 35 million tourists, the destination faces the threat of “over tourism” with all of its associated blights and potholes.

One of the principal objectives is to ensure that Thailand remains a preferred destination through the delivery of quality products that can boost the average length of stay, expenditure and repeat visits.

It’s a tall order for a country that has relied for decades on mass tourism and cheap holiday prices to maintain momentum.

Most of the segments mentioned at the lunch presentation are old hat themes that have repeatedly been presented in past years as game changing shifts in marketing campaigns. Critics suggests the focus should be narrowed to just a few themes that are more likely to improve tourism receipts such as MICE and mega sports events.

The presentation laid out a core communication campaign for the Amazing Thailand Tourism Year 2018 based on four Thai words that the minister called the four S strategy: Saneh (charm), Sanook (joy), Sabai (relax) and Sut Saep (delicious).

Events:

Air Race 1 World Cup Thailand will be hosted 17 to 19 November at the U–Tapao Rayong-Pattaya International Airport, Chon Buri;

ASEAN Tourism Forum in Chiang Mai, January 2018. (Hosted every 10 years by Thailand);

It’s an head count, includes any kind of travel, but excludes Thai citizens. It will count, foreigners working in Thailand every time they enter the country after a business trips, foreign students and overland traders who stay 24-hours. (UNWTO guideline).